Variable expressivity of a likely pathogenic variant in KCNQ2 in a three-generation pedigree presenting with...

KCNQ2 has been reported as a frequent cause of autosomal dominant benign familial neonatal seizures. De novo likely pathogenic variants in KCNQ2 have been described in neonatal or early infantile onset epileptic encephalopathy patients. Here, we report a three-generation family with six affected patients with a novel likely pathogenic variant (c.628C>T; p.Arg210Cys) in KCNQ2. Four family members, three adults and a child, presented with a childhood seizure onset with variability in the severity of seizures and response to treatment, intellectual disability (ID) as well as behavioral problems. The two youngest affected patients had a variable degree of global developmental delay with no seizures at their current age. This three-generation family with six affected members expands the phenotypic spectrum of KCNQ2 associated encephalopathy to KCNQ2 associated ID and or childhood onset epileptic encephalopathy. We think that KCNQ2 associated epileptic encephalopathy should be included in the differential diagnosis of childhood onset epilepsy and early onset global developmental delay, cognitive dysfunction, or ID. Furthermore, whole exome sequencing in families with ID and history of autosomal dominant inheritance pattern with or without seizures, may further broaden the phenotypic spectrum of KCNQ2 associated epileptic encephalopathy or encephalopathy.